


The Beginning of the End

by dontworryaboutanything



Series: William [1]
Category: Who Killed Markiplier, markiplier - Fandom
Genre: F/M, M/M, Who Killed Markiplier?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-30
Updated: 2017-11-30
Packaged: 2019-02-08 16:09:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,167
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12868176
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dontworryaboutanything/pseuds/dontworryaboutanything
Summary: The night Celine and William run away together.





	The Beginning of the End

**Author's Note:**

> Lots of arguing, vague Damien/William but it is up to the reader if they prefer to see it that way. A lot of the relationship dynamics come from things Mark stated to be his interpretation when doing the livestream after, so if any of it is confusing feel free to ask! Love love love comments.

It was another party, and William had come despite himself. He tried to convince himself he liked hiding outside, that all he missed was the view.

“Good to see I’m not the only one he’s ignoring tonight.” Celine slipped out of the doors so quietly that he’d not heard her above the wind, until they were elbow to elbow at the balcony railing. He only startled a little.

“Nonsense! I’m sure he’s been looking for you.“ They both knew he wasn’t. "Anyway, it’s cold out here. You should be inside, enjoying the party.”

She didn’t have to call him a hypocrite, she just raised an eyebrow and he knew.

“I barely can tolerate the party. He hasn’t said a word to me all night, he speaks around me like I’m not even there. He keeps introducing those _people_ to me as his friends.” She shook her head. “If I stay in there I’ll roll my eyes so hard I’ll lose them.”

William didn’t mean to laugh, but he did, and then he finally looked at her.

It was freezing, and she was in a dress, but even still she wasn’t shivering. He pulled off his jacket and didn’t offer it, didn’t give her time to argue, before draping it over her shoulders. It was only gentlemanly.

She was not only beautiful, but God, was she beautiful when she smiled.  
“I’m sick of those assholes too.” William admitted, and now she laughed as well, catching him off guard. “What? What did I do?”

“Nobody swears around me anymore.”

“What? Oh, no, I had no idea I was in the presence of royalty. Should I curtsy?”

“Men typically bow, but if you prefer.”

He turned, backed up, and gave a dramatic mock up of the two. She clapped, tried to stay straight faced, failed. He stayed further away as he returned to the banister. It was quiet a moment.

“Mark, though? Not even in private?”

“I haven’t seen Mark in private in months.” Celine said, and William kept his eyes averted so he’d not see her frown. ~~_Coward_~~.

“I’m glad Damien is-”

“Naive?”

“Unaffected. Your brother is the best of us, he’s always been. He’s trying to see the best in all this, he always has the purest intentions.”

“Naive. He’s going to get hurt, if he doesn’t start paying attention to what’s going on.”

William shook his head, defiant at the very thought. “He knows. He has to see it, he just isn’t as bitter as I am.”

“He should be, if not for his own sake, for yours.”

He turned to face her, finally. “And what about you?”

“What about me?”

“Shouldn’t he be upset his best friend is making his sister miserably lonely?”

“You’re his best friend.”

“Then why are you the one who followed me out here?”

Celine laughed without humor, arms out wide for a sarcastic shrug. "Because I’m miserably lonely.“

William hugged her, then, finally. He felt her sigh. "I miss him.” He didn’t say which ‘him’, maybe because he didn’t know, because maybe it was both.

“Me too.” Celine agreed, anyway.

“It’s so weird to be back here. I grew up with him, grew up in this house, but they both seem like strangers now.” William stepped back, looking up at the mansion, arm still around Celine’s shoulder.

“I don’t know when I started to notice, maybe when it started making me so angry, but this place isn’t right, Will.”

She finally shivered under his arm, staring up at the most gorgeous home they’d both ever seen.

“The pool hasn’t aged a day, at least. We should go back inside.” He said, and she nodded, but neither moved.

“What happened, that you were gone so long?”

He’d been back two years now, but when she said it like that it sounded as though he had only just arrived.

“I had to figure out who I was. I’ve always been here but I’ve never belonged here. Mark saw to it I knew that. So, I went on some adventures, I’ll tell you about them sometime. I’ve seen so much, Celine, but I’ve made so many mistakes. Now, I’ve lost everything, and he’s helping me, but-”

“But it’s only more to feel like you owe him. Why did you ever come back here?”

He didn’t smile. “Because everyone I’ve ever loved is here.”

“You could love someone new. You could fall out of love with it all, just go.”

“You make it sound easy.”

She was staring through the windows, and he followed her gaze to where Mark stood in a crowd of strangers. He was warm, and laughing, and a ghost.

“It is.” She said, reached up as he pulled away.

He didn’t take his coat from her when he kissed her temple and retreated inside.

~~_Coward, coward, coward._ ~~

 

* * *

Damien was in the kitchen, hiding away from the crowd as well. He was smiling, though, ignoring the chef as he snuck a cheese cube off a tray.

William knew he’d be here, he always liked to cook, liked the atmosphere of a busy kitchen.

“Ah! There you are, my dear friend.” He greeted, but his smile dropped when William didn’t return it.

“Damien. Look at that, bully for you.” William said, nodding to the little badge pinned proudly to Damien’s chest, but it came out stiff. Damien nodded back, blushing only a bit.

“Mark made me wear it. But I’m proud of you as well, Colonel.”

“Oh, don’t call me that, it’s a mess of a situation.” William grimaced, but still relaxed, feeling the cold and conversation melt away from his mind.

“Doesn’t matter what it is, it is! That’s the exciting part, isn’t it? My friend, the Colonel. I can announce you that way, isn’t that just-”

“Hilarious, Mr. Mayor?” William supplied, and they both laughed.

“A bit. Have you seen my sister? Mark has been searching.”

William forced a grin. “You know Celine, always hiding away somewhere. You’re one to talk.”

“Well, I do try to be a man of the people”, His laugh was nervous, “But Mark’s new friends-”

“I know, Damien. I know.”

That didn’t seem to be a comfort.

“It’s not that I’m not happy for him, of course.”

“Of course. But you don’t exactly have a lot in common with a pack of hyenas. It’s okay not to like everyone.”

“Well, you don’t have to hate them all, either.” Damien protested, and William rolled his eyes.

“I don’t hate rodents, I just don’t want them in my house.”

“You’re mixing metaphors.”

William let out his frustration on the edge of the counter, slamming his open palm down hard. The dishes rattled in the cupboards. Chef yelled something from afar.

“Why are you so damn diplomatic all the time that you refuse to have an opinion!?”

At last, Damien raised his voice. “Why do you take optimism as a lack of opinion!? Because it doesn’t fall in line with your own jealousy? We both know he cares for us far more than for these-”

“Say it!” William shouted back, and Damien went cold, standing straight, closing his eyes and shaking his head. His eyes were stern when he looked up again.

“No.”

“I’m not jealous of them.”

“Then why-”

“I’m jealous of him. Of how easily he can not care, of how you stick with him no matter what.” William said, and Damien’s demeanor changed again.

If he was able to channel that on purpose like Celine, was able to use his empathy to influence those around him, the two could devastate and rule anyone they touched.

Then, Damien already did, in another way entirely.

When they were kids, the difference is what drew William to Damien so much, but now his naivety about his own effect on others only made William bitter.

At least Celine knew what she was doing, when she made his heart ache.

“I’m with you too, no matter what! You’re my best friends. He does care. You’ll see, I promise you.”

William wanted to be angry so badly, but his sorrow seemed to echo in the ruckus as he spoke, “Don’t make promises you can’t keep, Damien.”

He didn’t turn back as he left the kitchen.

 

* * *

  
The wine cellar was his last retreat, and he nursed something old and expensive uninterrupted until the party sounded as though it was dying down.

Thankfully, only Mark knew he liked this spot. Nobody would be looking.

When it began to get quiet, he went upstairs, meaning to head out before someone else got ahold of him.

He must’ve been drunker than he’d thought. The stairs seemed endless, and he ended up on the second floor instead of the first. Mark came upstairs, and Celine came in from the higher balcony.

Hadn’t she been on the first, when he’d left her? He couldn’t remember clearly. She seemed unfazed, anyway. Mark looked between them and Celine didn’t break eye contact as she pulled William’s coat off her shoulders, walking closer than she needed to to hand it back. It wasn’t an implication on William’s shoulders, only on Mark. He hadn’t noticed how long she’d been gone, hadn’t offered her a jacket for ages. Everyone in the room felt it.

Then Damien climbed the stairs to be the last on the landing, and he smiled widely, oblivious.

“Ah! At last, I thought the four of us wouldn’t share a room at all tonight.”

Mark grinned, now, but it looked forced. “I’m sure you’ll all forgive me if I’ve been a bit absent tonight, I hope you’ve kept each other company.”

He walked over, filled the small space between William and Celine, separating them and putting an arm around them both.

William decided, as he pulled away roughly and stumbled, he’d definitely had too much. “Don’t you- don’t accuse me of-!”

“Oh, but why would I ever? Celine is a grown woman, she can make her own choices, and she has.” Mark said, cruelly, and Celine pulled away as well.

“Don’t you dare use me as a weapon against your friend because you’ve decided to compare coat sizes, Mark. I’m not doing this.”

“Doing what, Celine? All I’m saying is that I know you’re not sneaking around, is that an insult now?”

“Oh, don’t act like you don’t know what you were implying!”

Damien, now, looked distraught. “Please, wait, what is going on?!”

“Mark is celebrating the fact he’s better than me, big surprise! Bully! Jolly fucking good! That’s the only reason you still invite me, isn’t it? To your beautiful house with your fancy food and influential guest, with your beautiful wife and your incredible best friend! I know, Mark, I get it! I’m nothing compared to you and your-”

“No, no, no- I do this for you! I’ve always done this for all of you! I need these people, I make these friends because that way I can still provide for you-” He pointed at Celine, “Bail your ass out of all your trouble and debt!-” He pointed at William, “And help you get fucking votes!”

William felt his blood rush to his head so fast he was dizzy.

“Don’t! Don’t involve- he’s been defending you from the beginning! He doesn’t need you! He could have-!”

“It’s fine!” Damien chimed in, and William looked at him in shock. “We’ve all had a bit too much-”

“Stop defending him!”

“He’s right.” Mark said, level again, nodding solemnly. “Damien doesn’t need me, he could have done it by himself. Hell, he did, I don’t have that kind of influence. But that’s it, isn’t it? He’s the only one here who still gives a damn, I don’t have to pay him to be in my life!”

“Oh, fuck you! I love you Mark, you’re one of my best friends, you’re like my brother! But I can’t stand what you’re becoming!”

“Then I’ll buy some friends that can stand me, how about that? While I’m wasting my money anyway, might as well!”

“Oh, be damned if I actually like you! Fine!”

“Mark, can’t you see you’re losing the people who care about you? Don’t you care? You don’t even talk to me! I’m your wife, and you spend more time with movie producers! The only reason you think the money is what’s keeping us is because you know, you have to know, you aren’t giving us anything else!” Celine shouted, stepping between the two, and Mark covered his face, shaking his head.

“Why is it not enough? Why can nothing be enough?!”

“I think we all need to sit down, talk about this-” Damien tried, looking near tears, but William shook his head.

“Why? So I can be told again how I’m a gold digger, how I’m so much less, how Celine wouldn’t-”

“She didn’t pick you! And you haven’t forgiven me since! That’s what this is, isn’t it? You just can’t get over the fact that-”

“I chose Mark. But I didn’t chose this. I didn’t chose Markiplier, the movie star, the stranger! I don’t even know you anymore. Can’t you just talk to me, talk to us all, like friends again?” She was begging, William had never, never heard her beg.

“I do everything for you! Why do I have to sit around and stroke your egos for you all to get it that I care!”

“I just want a conversation!”

“You want someone to worship you!” Mark shouted and Celine laughed, cold and bitter, and William balled his fists.

“She wants a husband! She wants you to be there for her, not just buy her shit for this shitty old house! She’s a person, not a doll! You can’t just dress her up pretty and think it’s enough!”

“What would you know about what she needs?! You’ve never had anyone, William, you-”

“Because I listen to her! Because I love her! Unlike yo-”

He didn’t see Mark take the swing, barely felt it until he’d fallen backwards and felt his nose dripping. He watched the blood hit the floor, but blinked when it seemed to disappear, dizzy now.

Celine was at his side in an instant.

Mark was laughing hysterically, on the edge of mania, tears falling down his face quicker than he could wipe away. His knuckles were swelling, and he clenched and unclenched his hand in pain. William almost smiled to watch him, the bastard had broken it.

Then, though, he felt his cheek bone ache with the effort.

Damien was caught between the men, looking helpless, and Celine had taken her handkerchief out to try to stop the bleeding.

“We should go.” She whispered, and helped William to his feet. He didn’t mean to lean on her smaller frame, but he was uneasy on his legs.

“Isn’t that sweet. Isn’t it just- Aren’t you just so glad to find the man who will treat you right!”

Celine’s face was flushed with fury, but her voice was level when she spoke. “I am. Goodbye, Mark. We’re going.”  
It was like someone opened a window, a freezing breeze came pouring through the room. Mark didn’t say anything, then, looking lost suddenly. When he collapsed, his knees only kept him up for a second, before he had to sit back on the cold floor.

Damien called after the other two but he gave up on Celine almost immediately. Instead, he kept repeating, “William! William, please.”

He sounded as if he were sobbing, and they were so close to the door when William caved that he felt just as disappointed as Celine must have.

He turned, looked up to Damien where he leaned over the banister of the landing, and the second they met eyes Damien ran down to meet him.

“Please, he didn’t mean to- I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry, how do I help? How do I fix this, I’m sorry-” He’d reached out, going to touch William’s face, but restrained himself when he saw the bruising and blood. He fixed the other’s coat instead, frantic and shaking.

William pulled him close, hugged him tighter than he’d had the courage to until now. “Damien, it isn’t your fault. You’re my best friend. I love you. It’s okay. Take care of the asshole, take care of yourself.” He dismissed, gave permission. Damien hung onto him like it could keep him there, like if he never let go this wouldn’t be real.

“Don’t go. Please.” He begged, and William shook his head.

“This is the end, Damien. This has to be, or it’ll only get uglier.” Celine said, softly, and Damien buried his face in William’s shoulder. William held his head, pressed his lips to the other’s crown for only a moment.

When William finally pulled away, then, Celine hugged her brother for only a moment.

“We’ll see each other again. I’ll write.” William promised, and put an arm back around Celine, who led him away.

“Everything will be okay again, won’t it?” Damien yelled after them, sounding like a lost child, when they were half way up the drive. William looked back.

“Of course it will, one day. I promise.” He lied, and lightning sounded in the distance from a far off storm.

Celine’s eyes went wide, and she looked over the house frantically, pulling William with her away. They were in the car when she scolded, "Don’t make promises you can’t keep.“

 

* * *

  
To his credit, it took him an entire hour of her driving them away, towards state lines, before he kissed her.

  
(This time.)

  
She laughed when she had to pull over to demand he put his seat belt back on, let her keep her eyes on the road, but she reached out for his hand still.

* * *

To his credit, when she said she had too much to learn, to discover, to understand in a crystal shop two years later, he took it well.

"I’ll be back. You know I will. I’m not leaving you, but I’m chasing something that I think I need to face alone.”

He took her hand, pressed his forehead to her’s gently. “I’ve had my adventures, you have yours. You do what you need to. I’ll be waiting.” He said and she kissed him this time. She kissed his lips, and cheeks, and forehead, and the palms of his hands.

“You have an extraordinarily long life line.”

“Well, I am an extraordinarily lucky man.” He pushed her hair back from her face, and looked at her for a long time as if trying to memorize every line of her. As if he hadn’t, already. As if he hadn’t known this was coming.

“I love you.” She told him, and he believed her. He trusted her completely.

“And I you.”

 

He walked her to the train station, helped her on, and she threw him her hat and a kiss as she disappeared. They were waving, and crying, and he smiled still.

 

* * *

 

This wasn’t the end.  
Of course it wasn’t.

It was impossible for him to imagine that could be a bad thing, then.


End file.
